And, that's not all

I have folders for all kinds of hints and things to do in documents in Word. Since I am now going through outlining, synopsis, query, etc, it is time to go through all those notes and see what the experts tell me to do, to succeed.

After drawing up my list of items needed before I sent my manuscript off, I used that outline, including the numbering and I created files with the most important notes in them and the beginnings of what I had done as an outline, or synopsis, etc.

This was necessary as I found out I had about five starts on a synopsis and three outlines, etc. So, now I have a file entitled DOCUMENTS FOR SUBMITTING and within it I have folders titled: "2 a Outline - book long" "2 b Outline - book short" "2 c Outline - Moon Tree Series" and then: "3 a Synopsis Long 8 pg" "3 b Synopsis Long 5 to 3 pg."

I am working my way down this TO DO YET list from the top down, and yet, I have some started in almost every file. These starts will likely not be retained, but I'm off to work, yet again on my 2 a Book outline Long. Hopefully, the short one will be a bit more swift.

Constant Confusion - now Organization

I live with confusion. My manuscript is written and edited and edited and edited. I figure about a hundred and five times at the beginning and at least fifteen edits towards the end. I have had two other people read it and I read it aloud. THAT (reading it aloud) was an invaluable edit. Never skip that. I have two more people who are in the process of reading it and while they are doing that, I started preparing my accompanying documents.

I started off with the log line. It is the TV Guide version of your story and it needs to be gripping and sexy and tantalyzing. I spent days on this and endless versions. That was when I decided I was going about this, yet again, wrong.

So, I went back through all my notes and made a list of exactly what documents I need to have to submit. Now, some of these are not needed to submit but, when that agent calls up and says, "Hey, love your manuscript. I need a one page bio by tomorrow." or "I need an eight page synopsis and your marketing plan." You better be ready.

Realizing that I need several various versions of several things, I decided it was easier for me to start with the longest version of synopsis, bio, outline, whatever, and get that exciting and vivid and then use it to edit a shorter version. I think that will work best for me rather than starting with a short version and going back to a longer version.

I have a list, note, I have hints on each line, but that's not all:

1. TO DO YET:
   1. Know where your book would sit on the shelf & Read each of these from PAPER OUT LOUD
2. Outline
   a. Moon Tree Brothers Book Long
   b. Moon Tree Brothers Book Short
   c. Moon Tree Series
3. Synopsis: See 12 things a synopsis should do
   a. Long – 8 pages – for Manuscript Submission
   b. Long – 3 to 5 pages – for Manuscript Submission
   c. Short – 2 pages – for Manuscript
   d. Short – 1 page – for Manuscript
   e. Query Synopsis
   f. Flap Synopsis
   g. Log Line
4. Query letter that honestly represents your book
5. Bio: Third person, not first – Times New Roman - 12 point – 1” margins with heading above centered (Sheryl Adair VanVleck and next line centered Author bio) You are interesting
   a. Web page longer for Web
   b. Web page 2/3 to 1 page – double spaced page for the Web Page and book/agents without photo
   c. 1/3 to ½ single spaced if author’s photo included - page for Book and Agents (200-250 words)
   d. 50 word for Amazon and Blogs
   e. Short bio blurb for book jacket
   f. My Education
   g. My Writing Credits
6. Marketing Points
7. Build Web Site - Conform all: Web page/blogs/myspace/facebook/twitter
8. Send: As much of manuscript as requested, ONLY IF RQUESTED

Now, some of these things, like flap copy, I am not responsible for, but I think it is a good exercise for me and also, I may use it on my web site. Yes, I know exactly how long I have been working on that website. I decided the wording I was struggling with for the web site were the same things I need for these documents, so why not just do these first and take the wording from there.

Told you I am a slow learner! Toon in again, for what I did next. "and that's not all."

You really MUST read it aloud

As many times as I thought I had just one more edit, I do believe, this last edit was the last edit. It was the "read it aloud" edit and I am here to tell you that it is the one edit you must not skip. Nothing compares to you reading it outloud. You cannot do it while reading it to another person either. Do it alone. You will find all kinds of things, like places where the word "began" is better than the word "started", or where you should have a comma where a period should be or vice versa.

Husband was gone for three days picking up oldest son, Gaffer, from Duluth, Minnesota, where he was stranded after a three month futile job search. The second boy, EMT, was working each day and the youngest, JRock, was in school, so I took those three days to read my book. It was highly productive.

I had recently printed it out and had husband and EMT do their read throughs, marking comments. Now, it is Gaffer's and daughter's turn. I will take all the help I can get.

So, after having a month of power outages, a tornado and a large limb on my roof, and a computer melt-down, I am off to work on all those pesky things I need to submit. First up, is my log line and, while I have written about that before, I have found some new help, think I have a good one written and will write about that next post; providing I have power. It went on and off twice so far this morning.

Critiquing the manuscript

The rain has stopped in Indiana, if only for a day and a half, and the sun has dried the ground enough that the phone lines are fairly good. Although, I have been kicked off twice in trying to post this and this morning, I had a party line. Thank you sooooo much AT&T, for this service.

I printed my complete manuscript and started passing it around. The first person who read it (son, age 20) marked corrections/concerns and returned it to me. I just corrected a few pages, reprinted those and passed it on to person #2 (husband, 47 going on 80).

No, I am not being mean, the poor man has had COPD for twenty years and is often seated with my mother, in restaurants, instead of with me. He is one of those people who you do not want to watch certain movies with as he will sit there and pick out something he feels is not logical and drive you nuts talking about it. Hence, he is good to have edit. Mostly, his contribution was to extend the final scene and it is now greatly improved and two chapters instead of one, and also reprinted.

Actually, my Master’s Daughter is the second editor, but is very busy and has not gotten all of it back to me. My very first editor was one of her sixth grade students. A wiz kid, with an attitude, who I found adorable. He’s ultra smart. I am trying to have as many people as possible read it and critique as you get a different ideas and comments from all ages and people.

I am now reading the book on the computer, to make a final list of all the foreshadowing for the future books in the series and also reading it off of paper to younger son, and am amazed that I can still find things like extra punctuation marks, etc. Does this never end? I am anxious for oldest son to get home at the end of August, with his fiancé, and have them read it. Hopefully, by then, I will have all the related documents ready to go, my website up and can get on with submitting.

#2 on the list of things to have ready for submission

This is like fingernails on a chalkboard and I really have no idea why. It is a synopsis and, as near as I can tell, you need to be ready with two of them and an outline.

The first is one page, single spaced or double spaced.
The second is more in depth, two to three pages
and the outline can be a paragraph for each chapter.

Anyone who knows different, please correct me, because this is what I am working on.

As in everything you submit, be it logline, synopsis or query, or ANYTHING, you need to make it alluring, intriguing and make the agent or editor sit up and say, "I WANT TO READ THIS."

So, do not think this is going to be a quick thing to write. Sure, you can do the old school thing of Sally went to the store and ran into Tom. Then, they did this and then she stabbed him because he suggested she should write a synopsis, but that will not cut the mustard here, folks.

Nope, we are talking serious revision and exciting verbs and I will post my most helpful finds for a Synopsis in the days to come. Right now, I need to go clear my head of debri, and keep working on my synopsis, synopses, synopsi.

Working on my log line

As I said, I FINISHED MY BOOK.

Actually, I find it rather anti-climatic. I am very much enjoying this world and it was sad to leave it.

Now, I am onto the large list of things you need before you send it off to an agent or editor. #1 is your log line.

This is like a TV Guide blurb to get you to watch a movie/show; only it is a blurb to entice someone to purchase your book. Either, on the big scale, and then hopefully at the bookstore or on the Kindle or one of its equivalent.

I found a lot of sites to help but was still really not getting it until I found this site: Article of The Month by Alicia Rasley. She shows you how to write a sexy, enthralling log line.

And, what do you do with this log line, you ask?

It is your pitch, your premise, your marketing line. You use it to pitch to editors and agents at conferences. You memorize it for cocktail parties; when someone says, "What is your book about?" You can use it in the opening paragraph to query agents and editors. It is your new best friend and you keep it by your side.

I started on mine yesterday. Actually, I have worked on it for a log time, on and off, but since finding this article, I am seriously getting it down. Than you Alicia Rasley

About Time!

Remember me? I'm the long lost blogger of this blog. I have a good excuse for my absence this time. I have finished my book. Let me say that again, as it has been a long time coming.

I have finished my book.

Well, the first in a series. I have zipped off the final edition, after a bazillion edits to my Master's Daughter and there is a hard copy floating around the house as the boys were anxious to read it.

So, now I must:

1. Finish my web site revision
2. write an outline of the series
3. write a short synopsis
4. write a long synopsis
5. write a short bio
6. write a long bio
7. write a blurb
8. write marketing points.

You know what? I think I better go through my files a make a definite list of everything I have to have ready to send it out. I will share that list with you in a day or two, as well as the new title and header that I will be using on my web site.

Whatever I have to do now, I'm anxious to get onto outlining book two. But, that's a ways down the road.